eu market survey 2003 - crecer

Origin of imports
In 2001, 70 percent on volume basis and 56 percent in terms of value derived from non-EU
destinations, indicating a polarization between inexpensive products, deriving mainly from China,
and premium-end products deriving from EU-countries. In general, the importance of the EU
countries is declining. In 1997, the EU-countries supplied 56 percent (on value basis) of the EU
total import, whereas in 2001, this percentage had dropped to 44 percent. Within the EU,
Germany, with a share of 16 percent is by far the biggest supplier, followed by the United
Kingdom (5%), France (5%) and Belgium (3%). On a volume basis, the picture is totally
different; Germany only supplies 8 percent of the EU import, followed by Italy (5%) and the
Netherlands (5%), whereas China supplies 20 percent.
Also, Eastern European countries play a major role in the EU porcelain & china market, mainly
Poland (10%) the Czech Republic (10%) and Romania (3%). Other important suppliers are China
(10% on value basis), Turkey (3%), Indonesia (3%), Thailand (2%) and Bangladesh (2%).
Ceramicware
The EU import of ceramicware has remained rather stable, both in value and in volume terms.
Between 1997 and 2001, the imported volume only increased by 2 percent, amounting to 273,500
tons. In 2001, imports represented a value of € 585 million. Overall, it appears that ceramicware
is more popular in the Northern regions of the EU, reflected by the import size of countries like
the Netherlands, Belgium, France, Germany and the United Kingdom. The latter is the biggest
import market in the EU, accounting for 24 percent of the total EU imports. In 2001, imports of
ceramicware by the United Kingdom grew by 14 percent, amounting to € 139 million. France, the
second import market in the EU, showed a small decline of 3 percent that year. However, in the
reviewed period between 1997 and 2001, French imports grew by 28 percent, representing the
largest growth of all the EU-countries. Germany accounted for 15 percent of the EU imports.
Between 1997 and 2001, German imports fell by 12 percent.
In 2001, the imported volume of the United Kingdom grew by a stunning 36 percent, whereas the
Spanish, German and Italian dropped by respectively 10, 8 and 6 percent. The French import
remained rather stable.
Figure 5.13 Relative attractiveness of EU-countries with respect to the import development of
ceramicware
25%
20%
% growth 2001 in €
15%
United Kingdom
Netherlands
10%
Ireland
Greece
5%
-35%
0%
Portugal
-25% -15% -5% 5% 15%
Finland Spain
-5%
Sweden
France
25% 35%
Denmark
Germany
-10%
Austria
Belgium/ Luxembourg
-15%
Italy
-20%
% growth 1997 - 2001 in volume
Source: Eurostat, 2002
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